0. For the potatoes: Wash the potatoes and place them in a pot of salted water, without peeling them. Turn on the heat and let them boil for 40 minutes after the water starts to boil (or 20 minutes after the whistle if using a pressure cooker). Then drain them and set them aside to cool. Once the potatoes have cooled completely, peel them and cut them into evenly sized pieces. Set them aside in a container covered with plastic wrap to prevent them from browning when exposed to air.

1. Clean the octopus: Rinse it under running water, thoroughly rinsing the suckers, which may contain sand or other debris. Now flip the inside of the head over, pushing it with your thumbs, trying not to break the internal sac. Remove it using a small knife, making a cut all around. Rinse the inside of the head thoroughly and transfer the octopus to a cutting board. Pat it dry with paper towels. Using a small knife, make a cut around the eyes, without piercing them. Gently remove the eyes and turn the octopus over. The beak is located in the center of the tentacles; cut around it with a small knife and remove it with your hands.

2. In a pot filled with water, place the peeled and chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Add the peeled garlic and the peppercorns, pressed with the flat blade of a knife. Finally, add the parsley and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Hold the octopus firmly by the head and dip the tentacles repeatedly into the boiling water, so that they curl up with the heat (this will make the plating more elegant). Then, immerse it completely and cook for about 55 minutes (consider 40 minutes per kilo). Once cooked, let it cool in its cooking water for a couple of hours.

3. Separate the tentacles from the head and cut the tentacles into small pieces and the head into strips. To prepare the citronette, combine the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and crushed garlic in a bowl. Whisk with a fork to emulsify all the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper, then finely chop the herbs (mint, parsley, thyme, and oregano) and add them to the citronette.

4. Place the chopped octopus on a serving platter, arrange the previously prepared potatoes on top, season everything by distributing the citronette evenly and garnish with the pitted olives.